ngùi ngùi
Definition
- Adjective:
- Moved with a gentle sadness; wistfully touched: Describes a soft, melancholic emotional state, often arising from nostalgic or tender memories, not intense grief but a quiet, poignant feeling.
- Bittersweet; poignantly sentimental: Refers to a complex feeling where happiness and sadness are mixed, typically when recalling a fond but distant past.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Lòng cô ngùi ngùi khi nhớ về tuổi thơ. (Her heart was wistfully touched when remembering her childhood.)
- Nghe bản nhạc cũ, anh cảm thấy ngùi ngùi. (Listening to the old song, he felt a bittersweet sentiment.)
Advanced Usage
- The word is often used in literary and poetic contexts to convey deep, subdued emotion. It frequently modifies the heart () or a feeling ().
Variants and Related Words
- Bùi ngùi (adj): A more common synonym with identical meaning, describing a poignant, melancholic emotion.
- Anh ấy bùi ngùi chia tay ngôi nhà cũ. (He felt a poignant sadness leaving the old house.)
Synonyms
- Wistful: Having a feeling of vague or thoughtful melancholy.
- Poignant: Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.
- Bittersweet: Arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain.
Related Idioms
- While itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, it describes the core emotion in phrases like:
- Lòng dạ ngùi ngùi: A heart filled with poignant emotion.